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Friday, May 21, 2010

Time for an update

I don't know why, but since I started my other blog, I couldn't log back into this one. I didn't mean to ignore it, just couldn't get in to write anymore posts. I finally had to change my account password but here I am again.

The new blog has taken up alot of my time. I am trying to write a post a day and some of them take me hours and hours to do, what with the research,sorting through pics and trying to sound cohearant. It has been more than a full time job for me. Its doing really well though. So far, in two months, I am averaging 88 hits a day and have had 2,300 readers to date. I am sooo glad I put a site meter on there, or I would think no one was reading. I have had over one hundred readers in a day but only 1-2 comments. If I was going just by comments, I would presume no one was reading.

I am glad I picked this forum to work with. I have often thought of writing a book, but this is easier for me. I can randomly pick topics that interest me that day, write my post and see it in print right away. As time goes on and more posts get written it is slowly becoming a collection of all my knowledge and a place to show off my inner Martha Stewart. I really need to get myself back into a home though. I have been collecting so much stuff,I'm starting to look like a hoarder. I need a real home to display it all and start entertaining again, which is something I love to do. I have a few big expenses coming up but they should be handled by the end of summer, then I will switch gears and start looking for my dream cottage.

I wish I could own my own home but, it looks like it will be back to renting for me. The worst thing about that, is I find myself not wanting to fix the place up much in case they decide to sell or something and I have to move. Besides I have a ton of cool stuff like my steam shower that I want to set up, hard to do that in a rental. Oh well just have to pray for a winning lottery ticket between now and September.

I seem to be going through a real shift this year. I have been exercising my very strong willpower to make some drastic changes in my life. The quitting smoking has gone well. It will be 3 months on June 3rd. I still get cravings once or twice a day, but they pass quickly. I find social situations the hardest. For some reason I guess I felt more secure talking to people with a smoke in my hands. I have been to the beach a few times this year but instead of being in the middle of things like usual, I am finding places to hide away from the crowd. It's a good time to quit tho, apparently there is a new law in effect starting in September that says no smoking allowed on any beaches or in any parks. It's funny, buying cigarettes is legal but smoking them is becoming illegal almost everywhere.

Of course one of the side effects of quitting has been weight gain. I put on almost 10 pounds already. I wasn't skinny to start with so this has put me over the top. I wanted to start exercising but had to wait for the ok from the cardiologist and my physio. My pinched nerve episode lasted for 5 weeks and has me quite scared about doing anything that might irritate my neck again. Even though they had decided I didn't have a heart attack a few months ago, they wanted me to do a stress test to see just how healthy my heart was. I was quite pleasantly suprised to find out it is in awesome shape. Surprising in the least as I was an old,lazy,overweight,smoker. Apparently some are just born with stronger hearts than others. I'm very lucky as I definately haven't been kind to mine.

I really want to change my eating habits, especially my sugar consumption. I faired well quitting chocolate for Lent, but once the 40 days were over, I ate chocolate and pastries like there was no tommorrow.I think it will have to be like cigarettes, all or nothing.I tried to diet for a week, changing my habits to include eating breakfast and more fish , fruits and veggies, but I just started packing on the weight and craving sweets so bad I was polishing off whole cakes. So I have decided to go on the Master Cleanse. It is a fast consisting of a drink containing lemon juice, cayenne pepper and B or C grade maple syrup. There is alot more to it and if you are considering doing it PLEASE go buy the book and read it FIRST!!! I can't be bothered to write it all out for you but there are things you need to know before starting it. Once I am done with the fast, my intention is to eat raw and organic as much as possible. I will try and limit my meat consumption to fish supplemented with some eggs,and to avoid sugar as much as possible. If I want a treat it will have to be healthy dark chocolate in small quantities. I want my body back, I'm so tired of being lumpy and in pain all the time. It looks like I might be around for awhile so want to be healthy and able to enjoy myself.

Anyways, it's been 2 days and Ive lost 11 pounds so far. I know the majority of it has been water but thats ok as I was really retaining a ton of fluid. The first day , I just took it easy as I was fighting cravings for food and cigarettes and feeling a bit spacey, but yesterday I made it to the gym. The physio has been giving me specific exercises to rearrange my posture so my neck won't be so comprimised and I have the go-ahead from the cardiologist to excercise so finally got a day off and went to the gym for 2 hours. I did 20 minutes on the treadmill (1.5 km),20 on the excerise bike (3.5 km)and 20 in the pool(400 meters). My goal for now is to try and increase my distance in those time frames, then at some point increase my time or the difficulty factor (increase the incline etc). I would like to be able to go the distance in a mini triathalon.The distances I'm aiming for are run 5 km, bike 20 km and swim 800 meters. I can't actually run per say because of my neck, but can speed walk. That's ok by me, less strain on the old joints. I spent the other hour stretching, doing a few weights and spending time in the steamroom and whirlpool.

I'm feeling very positive this year. I am finally shifting things in my body and getting around to taking better care of myself. I love my new home even though it is small. The neighborhood is awesome, I love this part of town. It feels like the old neighborhoods of my childhood. Lovely homes with magical gardens, nice neighbors that say hi over the fence and convienient to the shops and work. I am coming to terms with being single again and am enjoying being able to spend my time,energy and money on myself for a change. The Wyldestone blog has been a blessing for me as it gives me a chance to do something creative which I need in my life. All my craft supplies and tools are buried in storage, so writing, taking photographs and posting recipes have taken the place of physical creations.I feel like a butterfly about to emerge from a coccoon.

I am still working on my transportation issues. The little car David gave me earlier this year was on it's last legs and was running on one cylinder at the end. My van had died a few months ago, and I hadn't yet gotten around to seeing what that is all about. It probably needs a few grand thrown at it but it's not really worth it anymore as it is so old and would still look like shit in the end.

My dear friends Todd and Shelley gave me an old car of theirs they weren't using anymore, but it is also in need of a cash tranfusion. The motor runs well but the ball joints need replacing, the electric windows don't work and I need all new tires. Not sure if I should invest much more money into this car as it is old and obsolete. The company went bankrupt and dumped all their parts so it is hard to get replacements for things. Even the tires are so rare, I could only find one store that carries them.

The scooter ran for about 10 minutes once I finally got it home but kept stalling when I tried to idle. I killed the battery trying to restart it constantly so it sat for a while. I finally found a mechanic that would do house calls and he has been working on it slowly. The battery got replaced, now waiting on a carburator from the States. The fuel tank needs to be taken off and something done to the inside of it to get rid of all the rust. I really hope I can get it running soon, I wanted it going for the summer.

Well I think thats all the news for now. Check out the other blog to see what Ive been up to. I will try and stay on track with this one as well as long as it lets me back in. I hope spring was good to you all and that this summer will be awesome.Stay in touch, I love to hear from you. If by chance you are reading the other blog, for the love of God, please comment (and thanks to those that have). I work very hard on the posts and don't know if they are anything people want to read, if they like them or not or find them useful. I really appreciate the feedback as I'm hoping someday it will make me some money so I can retire from doing massage therapy.

Great Post "R" don`t mess with old end of life cars and scooters get yourself an evening class to help you sort them out if you really need to, that way you will meet like minded people who will be able to help? and an instructor who will be able to advise. I only ever drive second hand cars and then I drive them until they become uneconomical to repair, so far the best cars for me are Honda and they run for ever, mostly but I don`t repair them anymore I just get another, younger one, with low mileage and drive it to death it costs me about £10 per week in depreciation etc which I think is acceptable? so far my Accord has been in my ownership for nearly eight years and I only ever put petrol oil and part used tyres on it Oh! a set of brake pads and discs and thats it (it is coming to the end of its life now, so another investment of 3/4 K at auction will be needed soon for another eight years hopefully);o))

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What Can I Tell You?

After travelling the world as a military brat, I have finally settled in Vancouver, BC. I have had alot of adventures, experiences and lessons in life and decided I'd better record some of them before old age fog sets in and I forget it all. For everyone who has told me I should write a book, this my attempt to record the bizarre twists and turns of my life.